History of United Nations peacekeeping missions

The history of peacekeeping started in the aftermath of World War II, with the formation of the United Nations. Peacekeeping, the use of neutral personnel in post-conflict areas to implement agreements between ex-combatants, was rarely even considered prior to 1945. Peacekeeping missions have taken place in the Middle East, particularly as a part of the Arab-Israeli Conflict, in the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan, in Korea, in the Balkans, and especially in sub-Saharan Africa.

Foundation

The authorization for United Nations Peacekeepers was given on 29 May 1948. This date is used as a memorial day to all the UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

The first peacekeeping force was the United Nations Truce Supervision Organisation [ [http://domino.un.org/unispal.nsf/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/a9a8da193bd46c54852560e50060c6fd!OpenDocument Appointment and terms of reference of a United Nations Mediator in Palestine UN Doc A/RES/186 (S-2) 14 May 1948] ] [ [http://domino.un.org/unispal.nsf/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/6b76f035cd9c4a36852560c200599bb7!OpenDocument UN Security Council Resolution 50 UN Doc S/RES/50 (1948) S/801 29 May 1948] ] [ [http://domino.un.org/unispal.nsf/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/5f04077d1707c5e6852560c2006dacc7!OpenDocument UN Security Council Resolution 73 UN Doc S/RES/73 (1949) S/1376, II 11 August 1949] ] born out of the 1948 1949 Israeli War of Independence.
United Nations Emergency Force [ [http://domino.un.org/unispal.nsf/9a798adbf322aff38525617b006d88d7/4357c71acd47f4af852560df006762d9!OpenDocument General Assembly Resolution 1000 (ES-I)UN Doc A/RES/1000 (ES-I) of 5 November 1956 Establishment of the UNEF] ] as a peacekeeping force was initially suggested as a concept by Canadian diplomat and future Canadian Prime Minister Lester Pearson during the Suez Crisis of 1956 as a means of resolving conflicts between states. He suggested deploying unarmed or lightly armed military personnel from a number of countries, under UN command, to areas where warring parties were in need of a neutral party to observe the peace process. Pearson was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1957 for his work in establishing UN peacekeeping.

Peacekeepers could be called in when the major international powers (the five permanent members of the Security Council) tasked the UN with bringing closure to conflicts threatening regional stability and international peace and security. These included a number of so-called “proxy wars” waged by client states of the superpowers. As of October 2004, there have been 59 UN peacekeeping operations since 1948, with sixteen operations ongoing. Requests for new missions arise every year.

Middle East

The UN Truce Supervision Organization was created in 1948 to use unarmed observers to oversee the truce between Israel and the alliance of Arab nations arrayed against it in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. It still exists and has provided observers during several conflicts in the Middle East.

Lebanon

In 1958, the UN authorized a monitoring force, the UN Observation Group in Lebanon (UNOGIL) to ensure that there was no illegal foreign intervention in Lebanon, mainly from the United Arab Republic

Sinai peninsula

UN troops, called UN Emergency Force (UNEF, now UNEF I) were deployed in 1956 to the Sinai peninsula after the UK, France, and Israel launched a war against Egypt, in what is known as the Suez Crisis. It remained there until ordered out by Egypt in 1967 just before the Six Day War. The force was seen as a model for later peacekeeping operations around the world.

UNEF II was authorized to monitor the Egypt-Israeli border and maintain a buffer zone after the Yom Kippur War.

Yemen

In 1962, the UN Yemen Observation Mission was established to ensure that neither Saudi Arabia nor Egypt would intervene militarily in the Yemen Civil War. The effort was thrice extended but in the end failed, as both nations kept military forces in the region and took part in the fighting.

Iraq/Iran

UNIIMOG, the UN Iran/Iraq Military Observer Group, was established in 1988 to supervise the ceasefire that ended the Iran–Iraq War. It lasted until 1991, when both nations had pulled all troops back inside internationally recognized borders.

Kuwait

The UN Kuwait Observer Mission (UNKOM) was established to oversee the border between Iraq and Kuwait after the Gulf War. It lasted until October 2003, after the fall of Saddam Hussein ended the threat to Kuwait from Iraq.

Africa

Somalia

Rwanda

Rwanda/Uganda

UNOMUR

Democratic Republic of the Congo

ONUC, the UN Operation in the Congo (French: Opération des Nations unies au Congo) was in Congo from July 1960-June 1964 to oversee the withdrawal of the Belgian colonial administration from Congo. During the transition the mission was to help maintain law and order and provide technical assistance as required.

The mission was extended to prevent the secession of several provinces, prevent civil war, and remove foreign military forces from the country in what is known as the Congo Crisis

Sierra Leone

*UNAMSIL
*UNOMSIL

Liberia

UNAMIL, the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia, was authorized in September 1993 to assist and supervise the troops of ECOWAS, which had intervened militarily in the Liberian Civil War at the request of the Liberian government, and oversee the maintenance of the peace agreement in the nation. The mission was ended with the election of Charles Taylor as president of Liberia and the establishment of a government of national unity.

Sudan

"Main Articles: UNMIS, Darfur conflict"

Burundi

ONUB, the UN Operation in Burundi (French: l’Opération des Nations unies au Burundi), was authorized in 2004 to oversee the implementation of the Arusha Peace Accords. At the end of 2006 it was judged to have successfully completed its mandate and ended.

Angola

*MONUA
*UNAVEM I
*UNAVEM II
*UNAVEM III

Chad/Libya

UNASOG, the UN Aouzou Strip Observer Group, was deployed to the Aouzou strip in May 1994 to oversee the withdrawal of Libya from the region in accordance with the decision of the International Court of Justice. In June both Libya and Chad declared the operation complete.

Central African Republic

MINURCA, the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (French: Mission des Nations unies en République Centrafricaine) was deployed in April 1998 to oversee the disarmament of several mutinous groups of former CAR military personnel and militias as well as to assist with the training of a new national police and the running of elections. The mission was extended after successful elections to help ensure further stability. The mission ended in 2000.

Mozambique

ONUMOZ the Operation of the United Nations in Mozambique (French: Opération des Nations unies au Mozambique) was authorized in December 1992 to oversee the keeping of the peace agreement signed by the President of Mozambique and the leader of the rebel group Resistência Nacional Moçambicana (English: National Mozambique Resistance) at the end of the Mozambican Civil War. It was also oversaw the withdrawal of all foreign forces and the preparations for national elections. After successful elections in 1994 the mission was ended.

Namibia

UN troops as part of the UN Transitional Assistance Group (UNTAG) oversaw the demilitarization of Namibia while elections were held concerning its Constitution and Parliament. These elections ended the decades long conflict between SWAPO and South Africa over the control of the territory in 1989. UNTAG was present from April, 1989 to March 1990.

Europe

Former Yugoslavia

*UNPROFOR
*UNMOP

Bosnia

UNMIBH

Croatia

*UNCRO
*UNTAES
*UNPSG

Macedonia

UNPRODEP

Cyprus

UNFICYP

Americas

Haiti

*UNMIH was authorized in 1993 to supervise the implementation of democracy after several years of military dictatorship following a coup.
*UNSMIH was established in 1996 to help develop a police force capable of maintaining law and order in Haiti.
*UNTMIH was established in 1997 for the same purpose.

Dominican Republic

DOMREP was established in 1965 to monitor the ceasefire between the warring parties in the Dominican Civil War

El Salvador

ONUSAL

Guatemala

ONUGUA

Asia/Pacific

Afghanistan/Pakistan

UNGOMAP

East Timor

*UNMISET
*UNTAET

Korean War

India/Pakistan

Cambodia

*UNAMIC
*UNTAC

Tajikistan

UNMOT

West New Guinea

UNSF

References

ee also

* Peacekeeping
* Multinational Force and Observers - the Non-UN Sinai Peacekeeping Force
* International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

Further reading

* cite journal
last = Goulding
first = Marrack
authorlink = Marrack Goulding
year = 1993
month = July
title = The Evolution of United Nations Peacekeeping
journal = International Affairs
volume = 69
issue = 3
pages = 451–64
doi = 10.2307/2622309
url = http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0020-5850(199307)69%3A3%3C451%3ATEOUNP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X

External links

* [http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko/ UN peacekeeping home] includes history, news, and links to other related UN sites. (English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish)
* [http://paginas.pavconhecimento.pt/pessoais/dw/Mario%5FZanatti UN peacekeeping proposal: The presentation of the Eurocorps-Foreign Legion concept and its Single European Regiment at the European Parliament in June 2003]
* [http://www.unidir.ch/bdd/fiche-article.php?ref_article=127 A historical perspective of UN peace-keeping]